The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-03
A HOPEFUL YOUTH.
AGilded Young Man Whose Normal Condition
Seems to Have Been One of Intoxication.

NEW YORK, March The suit of the woman
who calls herself Mary Kittson against Hercules
L. Kittson, for divorce, was continued to-day in
the Supreme Court Commodore Kittson was
present with his son. Young Kittson was on
the witness stand and testified that he first be-
came acquainted with the defendant in the fall
of 1883, being introduced to her by Spillane at
her house; he would be twenty one years of age
next July. Subsequently he met her at the
Fifth-avenue Theater. and he again saw her
three days later at her house. He had four or
five drinks of beer. whisky, brandy and wine.
Mr. Spillane showed q new watch, and this
woman said that she gave it to him for a pres
ent. The witness went with her to the theater
afterwards, and visited saloon in Fourteenth
street, where he had nine or ten drinks OF
brandy. Later STILL the witness met her
at the races. He never wanted to
marry her while at the Fourteenth street
saloon. where he went with her several times.
He never suggested that Cofey,--the saloon
keeper, should stand up with him. On April "a,
1885, while the witness was stopping at a hotel,
Spillane asked him to take walk. They did so,
and going down town Spillane said: "Let US go
up to Minnie'sF The witness said no; but Spill
lane insisted, and they went up. They saw her,
and afterwards went to Kester Balls and some
other garden. They had four or FIVE bottles of
wine and champagne. Afterwards they went to
Mnnies house and there had more drinks The
witness believed that he stayed there all night
The witness remembered nothing that occurred
at the house; he was very drunk, even when he
returned to the Windsor Hotel the next day, and
was not in a condition to know what he was
doing the night before. Kittson had no rec
election of any ceremony of even proposing.
but had seen the certificate. The witness said
he was drunk that morning. He went to the
house next day. but Minnie said nothing about
- l. L. I'D
plaintiff. but went to her house to get drunk. He
had become tired of getting drunk at the Wind
sor Hotel. He was accustomed to drinking. at
that time and quart bottle Of champagne
would not make him drunk, but he would feel it.
The marriage certificate WAS produced and
read. The witness said he was twenty years old
at that date.
A number of letters purporting to be written
by the young man to the plaintiff were produced.
Kittson could not say that ne has or had not
written them. The writing was similar to his.
The witness asked for and received the plaintiffs
picture. He received several letters from her.
but could not say that he answered them. He
did not remember the plaintiff introducing him
to her colcred maid as her husband, or replying
Yes, that's so." The woman, the witness said
came to see him in Philadelphia and he accom-
panied her to New York. He was drunk and
when he woke up he found himself occupying
the same berth with the woman. He could not
remember whether or not he promised to take
the woman out of her life of shame. After the
suit began he always told people that the
plaintiff was supposed to be his wife. but he
never told anybody that she was his wife. It
was question of law.
The plaintiffs colored maid testified that the
defendant acknowledged the relationship of hus-
band and wife in her presence.
A colored servant employed in house of i'll
repute in Philadelphia testified that young Kilt
son visited one of its inmates frequently in 1885
An expert testified that the letters shown Dy
the plaintiff were in the handwriting of the de-
PENDANT.
waiter in a restaurant testified to overhear-
ing kittson propose marriage to the plaintiff.
while they were drinking together.
The case was given to the jury. Failing to
agree by o'clock. the court ordAp1a them to
render sealed verdict